Another rough day, but not without its perks.
I have some big plans a brewin.’ Thank you Katrina for suggesting that I offer to sell my art on my web site. I had toyed with the idea before, but never really made any concrete steps to put a plan into action until last month. Now that I’ve seriously started planning it I cannot stop. The store is creating itself. It is also taking turns that I hadn’t thought of on my own.
Some non-profit opportunties have surfaced. Back in August 2003 I sent a painting to Boulders Beach Guest House outside Cape Town, South Africa. I had contacted them regarding rates and menus because it suddenly became possible that Andrew and I would be attending a wedding in South Africa. There was no way that I would travel to Cape Town without paying a visit to Boulders, for the sole enjoyment of witnessing thousands of penguins in their natural habitat. Swimming in the same waters as me. Nesting outside the windows of the guest house. Sally, marketing director at Boulders, visited my website after receiving my email. She then asked if I would be interested in donating a penguin painting for auction at the annual Penguin Festival, proceeds of which benefit SANCCOB. SANCCOB is a non-profit organization based in Cape Town, South Africa, that cares for indigenous injured, ill and oiled seabirds. Including–you guessed it–penguins.
Within a few weeks I completed “Preening Time,” (above), scanned it, packed it up with great care and expressed it to Boulders as soon as possible. I hoped it would raise a good sum of money. I found out later that the painting did not arrive at Boulders in time for the auction. Three to four business days just doesn’t cut it when you’re mailing something to the southern tip of Africa. When finally received Sally offered the painting to SANCCOB to keep, sell, or hold onto for the 2004 Penguin Festival auction.
Last month I contacted SANCCOB to find out if they did indeed have my painting. I wanted to know how they liked it. I wanted to know if my rendering of a “Jackass” Penguin was accurate. I received a response from the CEO of SANCCOB who graciously complimented my work and confirmed that my depiction was very accurate. He said that the painting was in their office, and that they planned to offer it up for auction in this year’s Penguin Festival.
All this back-and-forth gave me an idea. I’ve always wanted to donate time or money to the rehabilitation of penguins, but I am a little short on excess income and availability. But what I could do is sell my artwork from my website and donate a portion of the profits to SANCCOB. In fact, I could sell prints of “Preening Time,” and adopt a penguin with my first sale. I could also ask a few friends to do renditions of penguins too. After that–who knows how much it could grow. I get many, many visitors to my website who find me by searching for “Penguin Art” in search engines. I know there are many penguin collectors out there. What better way for us all to collaborate and help those silly little birds in return for the joy they selflessly provide, just by being penguins.
So today I received an email from the head of donations and marketing at SANCCOB. She responded favorably to my ideas about sales and donations and cross-marketing. In return for my offer, she has offered me a penguin. A complimentary adopt-a-penguin. A rehabilitated penguin for me to name and sponsor. A real live penguin, swimming out there in the deep green seas of the opposite hemisphere, busy doing what penguins do best–being a penguin.
Ok, so now I have no choice, I have to make this happen. I am involved. Yes, I am scared. There is a lot of room for failure here. But what do I really have to lose? Painting penguins is a joy to me. Even if no one buys the prints I will still have lots of penguins to hang on my walls and smile at.
Regarding the wedding in South Africa: As far as I know we are not going to make it. Not enough money, not enough time to make money, not enough of anything. It makes me terribly sad because I got all excited talking to all these great penguin people. But at least I know now how much it does cost, how to fly from here to there, where to stay and what sites to visit. It doesn’t seem like an impossible dream that will never happen. It is possible, and it will.
Preening Time ©2003 Catherine Erin Hamilton, original watercolor currently residing in South Africa with real penguins.
